Socket switch



w. G. P EET SOCKET swrrcn Filed Jan. 23, 1925 Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES \VILBUR G. FEET, OF NEWARK, NEVJ JERSEY.

sooxnr swrro'rr.

Application filed January 23, 1925. Serial No. 4,233.

This invention relates to electric switches particularly of the type which is operated by a pull chain, and has for an object to provide an improved construction of'switch of this type in which different lengths of stroke of the pull chain are required in closing and opening the switch and thus will indicate whether the switch is on or off.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a switch structure which will have a large contact with heavy contact construction, and which will have a quick make and break and a wide break to prevent any possi bility of arcing.

It is a further object of the invention to so construct and arrange the various elements that the foregoing advantages will be secured in the limited space available in these types of devices.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated. in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification similar reference characters being employed throughout the various figures to indicate corresponding elements. In this drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a lamp socket with my improved switch mounted therein, a portion of the casing being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the switch mechanism on an enlarged scale removed from the casing and also with the upper section of the insulating body removed, the switch being shown in the open position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 but showing the upper section of the body in position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the switch in closed position.

Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the position of the elements immediately after the break.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the oscillating element which is manually operated by the chain, and the movable switch contact mounted thereon.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the movable switch contact shown in Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the central opening of the upper section of the insu lating body. 1

The switch comprises a body or support of porcelain or other suitable insulating material comprising upper and lower separable section 10 and 11 respectively, upon whichthe various contact elements and other elements of the switch are mounted. In the drawing the switch is shown as used in connection with a lamp socket which includes the threaded outer lamp contact 12 and the central contact 13 to engage the lamp con tacts in the usual manner, but, of course, the switch is adapted for use in other connections. Then assembled the body carrying the various elements of the switch is enclosed in an insulating fibre lining 14 and mounted in the usual sheet metal shell 15. The opposed faces on the sections 10 and 11 are provided with recesses forming a compartment in which the switch mechanism is mounted. This mechanism comprises an oscillating element 16 mounted to swing about a pivot pin 17 having its lower end seated in a recess in the member 11. This oscillating member carries the movable contact member 18 which is pivoted to this oscillating element. The oscillating element has vertically spaced substantially parallel portions 19 and '20 which are connected by connecting portion 21, and these parallel portions havealigned openings in which the cylindrical stud portion 22 is pivotally mounted.

Mounted in a recess in one side of the section 11 of the support or body is a stationary spring'contact member 23, and, to provide greater strength includes an outer member 2 1. At the lower ends these members are bent in under the lower end of section 11 as shown at 25 and clamped between the surface of the section and the inturned flange 26 of the threaded contact 12 by a plate 27, they being clamped to the section 11 by screws 28. The threaded contact 12 has thus an electrical connection with the stationary contact 23. At its upper end the contact 23 is provided with an inwardly bent spring finger 29 arranged under certain conditions to engage the curved surface 30 on the movable contact l8,this surface being offset at one side of the pivot stud 22 so that when it is engaged by this spring finger the finger 29 will swing the contact inwardly about the stud as a pivot. It also forms electrical contact between the stationary contact 23 and the movable contact 18. A coil spring 31 embraces the stud 22 between the portions 19 and 20 of the oscillating element 16 and tends to swing the movable contact 18 outwardly or in the opposite direction from the action of the spring finger 29, one end 32 of this spring being bent over one edge of the upper portion 19 and the other end 33 engaging the contact member 18.

Spaced from the contact 23 is another stationary contact 34 which has two spaced upright portions 35 and 36, the outer portion 36 carrying the binding screw 37 for one of the lead connections from the source of current, the contact being mounted on the sec.- tion 11 by means of a suitable screw 38. On the inner side of this contact and preterably closely adjacent the inner upright portion the body section 11 is formed with a cam lug 39, this lug being substantially i..-shaped as shown and cooperates with a downwardly projecting linger 10 on the movable contact 18 in a manner presently to be described.

The element 16 is manually operated counter-clockwise as viewed in Figs. 2, t and 5,

by a suitable chain as a ball chain ll passing through a suitable guide i2 carried by a suitable support -2 secured to the section 11 which guide projects through a notch in the side of the shell 15. The chain is connected at its inner end to a member 13 lamped by means of fingers t-l to the connecting portion 21 of the oscillating element and from which it is insulated by a suitable fibre bushing 15. The oscillating element is swung about its pivot in the opposite direction or clockwise as viewed in these figures by a coil spring 46 to return it to its original position after the manual operation. This spring embraces the pivot pin 17 and has one end 47 seated under a lug 18 on the oscillating element. Its upper end projects into a notch or opening 19 in a bushing 50 mounted in a central opening 51 in the upper section 10 of the body, this bushing having a socket to receive the upper end of the pin 17 and form a lateral support therefor. The spring presses downwardly on the flange 53 of the pin tending to retain its lower end in the socket in the section 11., and this spring also tends to force the bushing 50 upwardly and retain it in the opening 51. The lower end of this bushing is non-circular, preferably square as shown at at, so as to seat in a similarly shapec recess 55 at the lower end of the opening 51 and thus retain this bushing against turning. The bushing has a transverse slot 56 in its upper end by means of which it may be operated to tighten the spring. This is done by inserting a screw driver in the slot forcing the bushing downwardly until its square end is removed from the square recess and then turning the bushing to wind the spring to the tension desired. By allowing the bushing to be pushed upwardly into the square recess it held against turning backwardly again. The socket in the bushing is of su'liicient depth to allow this downward movement of the bushing.

A second binding screw is mounted in a recess in the side of the body and is electrically connected by a screw 58 to the central contact 13 which is secured thereby in a recess 59 in the lower section 11. This screw is also used to secure the binding screw support and the contact 13 to the insulating body or support.

The operation is as follows: When the switch is oil the elements are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the oscillating element 16 being retracted by the spring 16, and the contact 18 being swung outwardly about its pivot 22 by the spring 31. A pull on the chain 11 will swing the element 16 counterclockwise, as viewed in Figs. 2, 4t and 5, about the pin 17 to the position shown in Fig. 4. During this movement the downwardly projecting finger 4L0 on the free end of the contact 18 will engage the end wall 60 ot the cam lug 39 and will pass around the outer curved end of this lug, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 4. As it reaches the outer curved end 01 the lug the surface 30 of the contact is engaged by the spring finger .29 on the contact 23 which tends to turn the contact 18 inwardly about its pivot The free end of the contact 18, however, will be forced against the shoulder 61 of the c0ntact or the porcelain lug which will limit the turning movement of the element 16. it will also close the circuit but this is not the permanent contact, for, as soon as the chain is released the Contact 18 is swung inwardly by the spring finger 29 until the finger -10 of the contact engages the inner upright portion 35 of the stationary contact 3 1 as shown in Fig. 4c. The dotted line in Fig. 1 shows the contact 18 passing around outside the'curved end ot the cam lug 39. It is prevented from swinging outwardly too tar by action of a finger 62 carried by the contact 23 which engages the outer surface of contact 18. It now the pull on the chain 11 is released the spring at) will tend to swing the element 16 clockwise about its pivot. This will draw the finger 40 against the back or wall 63 of the lug 39 as shown in Fig. at, and will thus retain the contact in the position shown in Fig. l. As in this position the finger 40 engages the portion 35 ot the contact 34 and the surface 30 engages the finger 29 ot the contact 2,3 the contacts will be bridged and the circuit closed. This movement of the element 16 is a relatively long one requiring a relatively large movement of the chain.

In opening the switch another pull is given to the chain which moves the element 16 in the same iirection or counter-clockwise about its pivot as before, but a relatively short movement will cause the finger all) to pass beyond the left or inner edge of the portion 35 ot the contact 3 l and then tne spring finger 29 pressing against the surface 30 will swing the contact 18 in- \vardly about'its pivot 22 to the position shown in Fig. 5. Thus in opening the switch a relatively short movement of the chain 41 is required. and it is, therefore, easy for the operator to tell by the length or movement required on the chain whether the switch is on or off. It will be noted in Fig. that the contact 18 has been moved a considerable distance tron'r the contact at, giving a very wide break in the limited space available, and as this is a very rapid movement under the spring finger 29 a large and rapid break is secured so that there is very little chance of arcing. It will also be apparent from the drawing that I am enabled to secure a large contact surface between the contacts with'a heavy contact construction. Now as the pull on the chain is released the spring 46 will turn the oscillating element 16 backwardly or clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 5 to its original position shown in Fig. 2. During this movement the spring finger 29 will engage the surface 30 and will coact therewith to prevent the contact 18 swinging outwardly under the action or" spring 31 until the finger of the contact 18 reaches the cam lug 39. The surface then moves away from the finger 29 and the finger L0 runs along the surface 64 of the lug 39 and prevents it coming in contact with the contact 35, and the spring 31 swings it outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. The switch is now ready for the next operation.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a switch, an insulating support, an oscillating element mounted on said support, a movable contact pivoted to said element, a pair of stationary contacts arranged to be bridged. by said movable contact, manually operable means for swinging said oscillating element in one direction. one of said stationary contacts being provided with a spring portion to engage the pivoted contact and force it into engagement with the other contact on manual operation of said element a given amount in one direction and to swing the pivoted contact away from the stationary contact upon further manual operation in the same direction, and a spring for swinging the oscillating element in the in the opposite direction.

2. In a switch, an insulating support, an oscillating element mounted on said support, a movable contact pivoted to said elecontacts arranged 1 ment, a pair of stationary to be bridged by said movable contact, manually operable means for swinging said oscillating element in one direction, one of said stationary contacts being provided with a spring portion to engage the pivot-ed contact and force itinto engagement with the other contact on manual operation of said element a given amount in one direction. and

to swing the pivoted contact away from the stationary contact upon further manualoperation in the same direction, means for limiting. said first manual movement, a spring for swinging the pivoted contact in the opposite direction about its pivot. and a spring for swinging the oscillating element in, the opposite direction to its original position. i p

3. In a switch, an insulating support, an oscillating element mounted on said support, a movable contact pivoted to said element laterally of the pivot for said element, a pair of stationary contacts arranged to .be bridged by said movable contact, manually operable means for swinging said oscillating element in one direction, means for causing the pivoted contact to engage the stationary contacts on manual operation of said element a given amount in one direction to an intermediate position and to swing said contact away from said engagement upon further manual operation of said element in the same direction from said intermediate position, and a spring for swinging the oscillating element in the opposite direction to its original position.

4. In a switch, an insulating support, an oscillating element mounted on said support, a switch contact carried by said element spaced laterally to one side of its pivot and movable on said element, manually operable means for swinging said element in one direction about its pivot, a stationary contact, means to bring the movable contact into engagement with the stationary contact on movement of the element a certain amount in one direction to an intermediate position and to separate said contacts on further movement of the element in the same direction from said intermediate position, and means for moving the element back to its original position.

5. In a switch, a movable element, a switch contact pivoted to said element, a stationary contact, manually operable means for moving said element in one direction, means for swinging the switch contact into engagement with the stationary contact on movement of the element a given amount in one direction to an intermediate position and swinging said switch contact away from the stationary contact on further movement of the element in the same direction from said intermediate position, and yielding means for returning said element to its original position.

6. In a switch, a movable element, a switch contact pivoted to said element, a stationary contact, manually operable means for moving said element in one direction, means for swinging the switch contact into engagement with the stationary contact on movement of the element a given amount in one direction to an intermediate position and swinging said switch contact away from the stationary contact on movement of the element a further amount in the same direction from said intermediate position, a stop in position to be engaged by the movable switch contact to limit said first mentioned movement of the element, and a spring for returning the element to its original position.

7. In a switch, an insulating support, an oscillating element mounted on said support, a switch contact pivoted to said element and provided with a laterally projecting finger, a stationary contact, manual- 1y operable means for swinging said element in one direction about its pivot, a cam lug formed on the support adapted to engage said finger, a spring in position toengage the switch contact and force the finger against said lug on operation of said element, said lug being arranged to guide said finger to said stationary contact, said spring being also arranged to swing the switch contact away from the stationary contact to open the circuit on further movement of the said oscillating element in the same direction and a spring for returning said element to its original position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

VVILBUR G. PEET. 

